Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 11-178401 (JP 11-178401 A) discloses a tiller in which the height position of a grip is adjusted by rotating an operating handle in the longitudinal direction in order to adjust to the body height of an operator.
This tiller has a handle post that is provided to a rear part of the tiller body so as to tilt upwards toward the rear direction; and an operating handle that is supported on an upper end part of the handle post so that the angle (height) can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction. The height of the grip is changed by adjusting the angle of the handle in the longitudinal direction.
In the work mode of the tiller, the body weight of the operator is applied to the front part of the tiller in order to till deeply, and the grip must be raised in such cases. However, the grip and operating handle are integrally formed in the tiller, and therefore the grip cannot be moved to the forward position of the handle post even when the grip is rotated in the forward direction and raised with the operating handle. When the angle of the operating handle is changed so that the grip will be raised, the grip will be inclined downward toward the front.
Since the grip and operating handle are integrally formed, it has thus been necessary in the past to change the angle by rotating the operating handle in order to raise the grip to suit the body height of the operator. Specifically, the grip is located to the rear of the handle post and is inclined downward toward the front. It is therefore difficult for the body weight of the operator to be applied to the front part of the tiller while the operator is grasping the grip, and the tiller is difficult to use.